Lap-seaming mechanism.



W. T. BENJAMIN.

LAP SEAMING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED APR. 24. I9l6.

Patented Sept. 4

, nnrrn as new onrnon WILLIAM '1'. BENJAMIN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY,ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Application filed April 24, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T. BENJA- MIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain Improvements in Lap-Seaming Mechanisms, ofwhich the following description, in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawingsindicating like parts in the several figures.

My invention relates to lap seaming mechanism for uniting overlappedends by a line of stitches, and more particularly to stitching mechanismin combination with certain novel work guiding means constructed andarranged to unite the overlapped ends of separate pieces of materialwith their edges in parallelism by one or more lines of stitchesextending longitudinally of the overlap between the parallel edges. Theinvention provides means which may be advantage.

ously employed to so unite the overlapped ends without reference to theinitial shape of the edges of such ends and, additionally, to so unitethe ends by one or more lines of stitches forming a straight seam andgiving a neat appearance to the work. Such a construction is used toparticular advantage in uniting overlapped ends having convex edges sothat the parts are convexed longitudinally of the overlapped ends withthe edges themselves in parallelism.

Such an overlap may be advantageously employed in the so-calledheel-seaming of the counter portion of shoe uppers. The rear ends of twoopposite side pieces of the counter are formed to overlap at the rear ofthe counter substantially at the longitudinal median line of the counterand are joined by lap seaming permanently to convex the overlappedportions longitudinally of the edges and vertically of the counter sothat they will closely conform to the vertical contour of the rear endface of the last heel and of the heel of the foot.

This method of forming the counter portion of shoe uppers is disclosedin an application filed March 24, 1916, by Thomas F. lVhelan, Serial No.86,417, for shoes and the method of making the same, and ischaracterized by the use of two side pieces form-i ing the counterportion of the upper having their rear ends extended beyond the longi-Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 93,162.

tudinal median line of the counter to overlap and formed with convexrear edges which are stitched together in parallelism, the curvature ofthe edges being somewhat greater than the vertical curvature of the rearend face of the heel of the last to provide fullness to enable theoverlap to conform to the horizontal curvature of the heel under lastingtension, the connection of the overlapped ends with their convex edgesin parallelism necessarily causing the ends to be convexedlongitudinally of the line of overlap and vertically of the counter.

While my invention is particularly adapted for use in connection withthe described method of joining and forming the rear ends of the counterportions of shoe uppers and is illustrated and described in connectionwith this method, in its broad aspect it is useful generally for lapseaming and more especially for uniting overlapped ends with their edgesin parallelism.

In one aspect the invention consists in the combination of a suitablestitching mechanism, spaced work edge guides and means arranged tosupport separate pieces of work with their ends overlapped to cooperatewith said guides.

A feature of the invention consists in laterally spaced work edge guideshaving parallel guiding surfaces positioned in different horizontalplanes, and work supporting means arranged to position separate piecesof material in the respective horizontal planes of said guidingsurfaces. Such a construction enables the ends of the separate pieces tobe overlapped to lie in parallel horizontal planes and substantially incontact at the stitching points. The co6peration of the work supportsand work edge guides as to plane alinement permits the amount of overlapof the ends and the parallelism of the edges to be accurately gaged andmaintained.

Another and important feature of the invention consists in combinationwith the work supporting and edge guiding means mentioned above, ofmeans to hold down the edge of the stock as it is fed and guided to thestitching point. When two ends with convex edges are stitched togetherin overlapped relation with their edges in parallelism, one or both ofthe plies must be sprung into a curve to place theiredges Patented se t.a, 1917. l

in parallelism, This crimping operation- 'tends to cause the edges topucker, and

means acting to hold the edge of the stock will prevent puckering and istherefore decidedly advantageous under these and simi lar conditions.

A further feature of the invention consists in the combination oflaterally spaced work edge guides having parallel guiding surfacespositioned in different horizontal planes, with work supporting meansarranged to support separate pieces of work with their ends overlappedto extend into the respective horizontal planes of said guidingsurfaces, and a stitching mechanism having two laterally spaced needlesand including means to guide said needles to engage the work at pointsbetween the guiding lines of the laterally spaced work. edge guides. Bypositioning the needles to stitch the. overlap between the parallelguiding surfaces, the line of stitching may be arranged to extend alongand closely'adjacent to each edge of the work so that not only are theoverlapped portions securely stitched together but a neat seam isprovided, extending parallel with the exposed edge and form-. ing astraight seam. s

A related feature of the invention consists, in the combination recited,of a work support having a guiding face concaved laterally of the edgeguiding surfaces and ex tending into the horizontal plane of the uppermost of said guiding surfaces. A work support of this characterenables the work to be easily guided toward and against the cooperatingedge guiding surface and facilitates, the feeding of the work to themachine.

A still further feature of the invention consists in the combination ofa stationary work support, a presser foot vertically movable toward andfrom saldsupport, havlng one or more needle guides and having at oneside a work edge guiding surface, a

guide member having a secondwork edge guiding surface laterally spacedfrom and parallel to the first edge guiding. surface and in ahorizontalplane to engage the edge of work on said stationary support,and havinga work supporting face extending in the horizontal plane ofthe edge guiding surface of the presser foot in the lowered positionofthe presser foot.

This combination of parts is particularly advantageous in that itenables the work to be positioned upon the stationary support with oneedge in engagement with the cooperating guiding surface, and with theedge of the cooperating piece of work positioned on the supporting faceof the guidemember in the horizontal plane of the guiding surface of thepresser foot in the lowered position of the presser foot. Thls arrangement enables the work to be readily assembled in cooperative relation tothe guiding surfaces, and in actual practice effects sub-' stantialsaving in time. r Y

These and other features and advantages will be more fully apparentfromthe" following detailed description when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings illustrating one and apreferable embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of lap seaming mechanism constructed. inaccordance with the present invention, only such parts of the stitchingmechanism being shown as are essential to an understanding of theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical. sectional view .on the Fig 5 is alongitudinal'section through 1 the presser foot onthe line 5 5 of Fig.2;

Fig. 6 is an inverted perspective of the rear ofashoe counter having theoverlapping ends of its two side pieces stitched to gether in overlappedposition and convexlv shaped by the use of the lapfseaming mechanism ofthis invention.

The usual 'topor work plate 4 of a sewingmachine or stitcher is mountedupon the face of the frame or'table 2 and carries a throat plate 6having the usual slot therein through which the feed dog 8 extends toengage and feed the material. through the stitching mechanism. A presserfoot 10 is suitably mounted for vertical movement toward and fromthethroat plate 6 which constitutes a stationary supportfor work.Th1spresser foot is formed with two laterally spaced needle guidingapertures 12 through which needlesla (Fig.1) mav extend and operate inthe usual manner. Preferably the feed dog is shaped to engage the underply of thework between the needles as shown in Fig. 1. I At one side,the base of the .presser foot is formed with a longitudinally extendinglab 18 forming a guiding wall or surface. This guiding wall is extendedforwardly beyond the forward extremity of the presser foot as a finger16 and serves to hold down the face of the work as it approaches thestitching point. (SeeFigs. 1 and 3.)

At one side of the presser foot, a spring plate or arm 20 is secured atone end to the throat plate or other suitable stationary sup port andextends in the direction. of the presser footand is attached to andsupports a v guide member 22 normally ,to extend slightly above thesurface of; the throat plate. This guide member is formed with a rib 24:extending longitudinally thereof at its under face and forming a workedge guiding surface 26 parallel with-the work edge guiding surface 18of the presser foot but located in lower horizontal plane when thepresser foot is in its lowered position (see Fig. 3). The edge of theguide member 22 adjacent to and forwardly of the presser foot andintermediate of its ends, is formed with an oflset flange 28 overhangingthe work edge guiding surface 26 and extending to a point beneath theforward edge of the presser foot.

The upper portion of the guide member is provided with a concaved worksupporting surface 80 inclining downwardly from its front end. in thedirection of the stitching point as is indicated at 32, Fig. 4, theconcaved portion extending across the flange 28 so that the work may besprung into alinement with the finger with the edge of the flangeconstituting the end of the sprung curve and terminating,l0ngitudinally, adjacent to the point where the needle enters the workpiece which it guides.

The two separate pieces of material whose edges are to be overlapped andstitched together are designed to be supported adjacent to the stitchingpoint bythe throat plate 6 and by the surface of the guide member 22indicated at 28 and 30. I lith separate pieces of work positioned inoverlapped relation upon the supporting surfaces, the presser foot 10may be lowered to engage the upper surface of the piece of worksupported by the guide member 22. Inasmuch as the flange 28 of the guidemember is in the line of movement of the presser foot, thelatter will bepressed downwardly, its rib 24, which normally projects partly into analined slot in the throat plate and table, being pressed farther intothe slot and its work supporting surface 28, 30 being lowered into thehorizontal plane of the work edge guiding surface 18 of the presserfoot. It will-be obvious that the piece of work supportedby' the guidemember 22 will be positioned so that its edge at one end will engage theguiding surface 18 of the presser foot. The other piece of work will bepositioned upon the throat plate 6 with its end extending beneath andoverlapped by the end of the first piece of material and with its edgeengaged with the edge guiding surface 26 of the guide member, the flange28 of said member operating as a hold down lip and maintaining thesecond piece of material in a substantially flat position against thethroat plate and against the feed dog. The spring arm 20 supporting thisguide member normally elevates it above the throat plate sufficiently toallow a ply of material of maximum thickness to be inserted against itsguiding edge 26 and below its hold-down flange 28. The presser foot willengage the surface of the first or upper ply of material and hold itdownward in contact with the lower ply of material at the stitchingpoint, the feed dog engaging the under face of the lower ply at thispoint. The presser foot will also act to force down the guide member 22to maintain the lower ply substantially flat but not so that the guidemember clamps the edge of the lower ply. The overhanging fiange 28 ofthe guide member serves to hold down the marginal portion of the lowerply and prevents puckering at the thin skived edge of the ply as thelatter is turned and fed. It is to be noted, also, that this flange, incooperation with the edge gage surface 26, maintains thespring of thelower ply up to the stitching point. The two plies are separately helddown adjacent to the stitching line, and each is free to turn on thestitching line or holddown line at every instant, so that in the feedingoperation, the stock may be turned or walked around curves to bring theedges in parallelism at the stitching point.

In the drawings, in order to illustrate the operation of the describedmechanism, I have shown two separate pieces of material A and B, formingthe two side pieces of the counter portion of a shoe upper whose rearends are to be overlapped and stitched together. The two side pieces Aand B are provided with convex rear edges. These pieces will beinitially positioned preparatory to stitching by placing the upper pieceA to position one end, say the upper end, adjaceiit to the line of theneedles 14, the body of the side piece A being sprung into the concavityof the supporting surfaces 28, 30 so that its edge may engage theguiding wall 18 of the presser foot and extend in parallelism with theedge of the side piece B when the presser foot is lowered. The lowerside piece B is inserted at approximately the same time to extend itsupper end beneath the forward portion of the presser foot with itsconvex edge moved into engagement with the work edge guiding surface 26.The presser foot 10 is now lowered and the upper work piece and theupper and lower side pieces are adjusted by hand to engage their upperends withtheir respective and parallel work edge guiding surfaces 18 and26. The stitching mechanism is then operated, the overlapped ends of thetwo side pieces A and B being progressively fed toward the needles 14,the operator manipulating the side pieces by hand to maintain the edgesin engagement with the guiding surfaces 18 and 26 as the materialapproaches the stitching point. The upper ply Ais sprung into theconcavity of the supporting surface 28,

30, the flange 28 serving to extend this surface to a point closelyadjacent to the needle. The needles l-it are positioned to engage theeach other. The work edge guiding surfaces extend in front and in therear of the needle guides and insure the parallelism of the edges of theupper and lower plies as they are stitched together.

The work contacting face of the guide member 22, provides a guide forthe finger of the operator in feeding the side pieceto the stitchingpoint, the inclined surface 32 bringing the overlapping portions of thetwo side pieces progressively in closer relation as the pieces are fedtoward the stitching point. Additionally, since the oppositely convexededges of the side pieces A and B are held in parallelism While beingstitched, the laterally concaved surface 30 of the guide member permitsthe side piece A to be turned or bowed out of the plane of the otherside piece B in compensation for the bending of the overlapped ends ofthe material of the side pieces to position and maintain their convexedges in parallelism.

In lap seaming two separate pieces having convex edges which arestitched together in parallelism, it will be necessary to convex theoverlapped portions longitudinally of their line of overlap, and, in thepresent instance, vertically of the shoe counter, in order to secure theparallel alinement of the convex edges. Lap seaming two side piecesforming the counter portion of a shoe upper in the manner describedprovides the side pieces with a convexity extending inthe line of theirjunction and vertically of the counter as illustrated in Fig. 6, and :inaddition, effects this result by parallel lines of stitches which form astraight upright back seam and afford a very neat appearance at the lineof junction of the parts.

While my invention is herein described and illustrated as particularlyadapted for work of this character, it must be understood that theconstruction of the lap seaming mechanism is independent of anyparticular shape of overlapping ends and is independent of theparticular use or art to which the overlapping pieces may be applied. Inthe appended claims, therefore, it is not intended that the invention beconstrued as limited to use in uniting the overlapped ends of shoeparts, such as described.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is v 1. A lap seamingmechanism having, in combination, a stitching mechanism, a presser footand a cooperating member constructed to present spaced work edgeguidesarranged to guide the edges of overlapped pieces. of ,work. alongparallel :lines, and

means to support separate pieces of work with thelr edges overlapped tocooperate with said guides.

2. A lap seaming mechanism having, in

combination, a stitching mechanism, lateroverlapped plies of work to thestitching mechanism with their overlapping edges in parallel1sm,3meansto support the .plles 1n overlapped relation, with their overlappededges in the horizontal planes of stheir edge guides, ilIlClll'lGELllSbodily yieldable upwardly from the lower ply, arranged and operative tomaintain the overlapped edge of .said

lower ply in flat condition as it is fed to the stitching mechanism. 1

3. A lap seaming mechanism having,in combination,a stitching mechanism,laterally opposed work edge guides having ,par-

and guiding surfaces positioned in different horizontalplanesandarranged to guide the edges of overlapped plies of work to thestitching mechanism with said overlapping edges ;in parallelism, andwork supporting means arranged to support upper and lower plies inoverlapped relation with their overlapping edges in the horizontalplanes of their edge guides, the supporting means for the upper plybeing constructed and arranged to overlie and maintain in fiat conditionthe overlapped edge of the lower ply.

4. A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a stitchingmechanism, laterally spaced work edge guides having parallel guidingsurfaces positioned indifferent horizontal planes andarranged to guidethe edges .of overlapped plies of work to the stitching mechanism withsaid overlapping edges in parallelism, means to support upper and lowerplies in overlapped relation with their overlapping edges in thehorizontal planes of their respective edge guides and to maintain theoverlapped edge of the lower ply in flat condition as .it'is fed to thestitching mechanism, the support for the upper ply having a supportingsurface inclined to inclined downwardly toward the plane of its edgeguide.

': combination, laterally spaced work edge guides having parallelguiding surfaces po sitioned in different horizontal planes, two worksupporting members arranged to support separate pieces of work withtheir edges overlapped to extend into; the respective horizontal planesof said guiding surfaces, one of said work supports having a guidingface concaved laterally of the edge guiding surfaces and extending intothe horizontal plane of one of said surfaces, and a stitching mechanismhaving laterally spaced needles and including means to guide saidneedles to engage the work at points between the guiding lines of thelaterally spaced Work edge guides. v

8 A lap seaming-mechanism having, in combination, laterally spaced workedge guides having parallel guiding surfaces positioned indifferenthorizontal planes, work supporting means arranged to support separatepieces of work with their edges overlapped to extend into therespective. horizontal planes of said guiding surfaces, and a stitchingmechanism having two laterally spaced needles and including means toguide said needles to engage the work at points between and adjacent tothe guiding lines of the laterally spaced work edge guides to unite theoverlapped ends of the work by lines of stitches extending along andadjacent to their edges.

9. A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, laterally spaced workedge guides having parallel guiding surfaces positioned in differenthorizontal planes, two work supports arranged to support separate piecesof work with their edges overlapped to extend into the horizontal planesof said guiding surfaces to engage said surfaces, and including a worksupport having a contact surface concaved laterally of and into theplane of the uppermost guiding surface, and inclining downwardly towardthe stitching point, and stitching mechanism having a needle with meansto guide said needle to engage the work at a point between the guidinglines of the laterally spaced work edge guides.

10. A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a statlonary worksupport, a

presser, foot vertically movable toward and from said support andprovided with a needle guide and having at one side a work edge guidingsurface, and a guide member hav ing a second work edge guiding surfacelaterally spaced from and parallel with the first edge guiding surfaceand in a horizontal plane to engage the edge of work positioned on saidstationary support and having a work supporting face in the horizontalplane of the edge guiding surface of the presser foot in the loweredposition of the presser foot.

11. A lapseaming mechanism having, in combination, astationary worksupport, a work feeding dog, a stitching mechanism including a presserfoot vertically movable toward and from said support and feeding dog andhaving laterally spaced. needle guides and a work edge guiding surfaceon one side of the presser foot, a guide member having a second workedge guiding surface laterally spaced from and parallel to the firstedge guiding surface and in a different horizontal plane to engage theedge of work positioned on said stationary support and extending beneathand transversely of the presser foot and itself having a work supportingface inclining downwardly transversely of the presser foot and into thehorizontal plane of the edge guiding surface of the presser foot in thelowered operative position of the presser foot.

12. A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a stationary worksupport, a stitching mechanism including a feeding dog, and a presserfoot vertically movable toward and from said support and feeding dogprovided with laterally spaced needle guides and having a work edgeguiding surface on one side of the presser foot and spaced laterallyfrom the needle guides, a guide member stationary relatively to thepresser foot provided with a second work edge guiding surface laterallyspaced from and parallel to the first edge guiding surface and in ahorizontal plane to engage the edge of work positioned on saidstationary support and extending transversely beneath the presser footand itself having a work supporting face concaved laterally of the edgeguiding surface and extending transversely of and beneath the presserfoot into the horizontal plane of the edge guiding surface of thepresser foot in the lowered operative position of the presser foot.

13. A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a table, a workguide having a lateral face to guide an edge of the lower ply of thework and a flange to overlie said ply of the work adjacent to said edge,and a presser member having a lateral face to guide an edge of the upperply of the work and a portion to overlie the upper ply of the Workbetween its edge and the lateral face ofthe said work guide.

14-. A lap seaming mechanism having, in

combination, a table having a recess in its edge of thelower ply of thework and havinga flange which is adapted to extend between the saidlower ply and an upper ply and beneath the presser foot to cause the armto. be. depressed by the presser foot.

15,, A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a table, a presserfoot having a needle guide and presenting for engagement with an upperply of the work a lateral edgeguiding face extending a substantialdistance in front and in the rear of the needle guide, and a depressiblearm overlying the table. and presenting for engagement with the lowerply of the work a. lateral edgeguiding face which also extends in frontand in rear of the needle guide and is parallel pith the ed'geguidingface on the presser oot.

IGXA lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a table, a presserfoot and a depressible arm presenting a lateral edge guiding face forthe lower ply of the work and a flange positioned beneath the presserfoot and adapted to overlie and hold down the margin of the lower ply ofthe work.

17. A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a table having arecess, a presser foot, and a depressible arm having a flange extendingunder the presser foot between .the lower and upper plies of the workfor engagement by the presser foot when lowered and having also, adownward" projection beneath and laterally offset from the flange andpresenting an edge guide for the lower ply of the work andnormallyextending into said recessand movable farther into the recess asthe arm is depressed, by the presser foot.

18. A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a table, a presserfoot having a needle guide, and awork guide presenting an edge-guidlngface for the lower ply of the work and a flange arranged to project overthe work and terminating at its rear edge needle guide.

19. A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a table, a presserfoot having a needle guide, and a work guide presenting an edge-guidingface for the lower ply of the work both in front of and in rear of theneedle guide, said Work guide having also a flange located wholly infront of the needle guide and overlying the lower ply ofthe work.

201A lap seaming mechanism having, in combination, a table, a work guidehaving a lateral face to guide an edge of the lower ply of the work anda flange to overlie andhold down said ply adiacent to said edge, and apresser member having a lateral face in parallelismwith the lateralfaceof said guide under the presser foot a-nd in front of the arrangedto guide an edge of the upper ply of the work andhavinga portion tooverlie and hold down the upper ply of the work between its guided edgeand the lateral face of'the work guide.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.WILLIAM T. BENJAhHN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,lay-addressing the Commissioner offer-tents,

Washington, I). 0.? s

